On the Ground: Study Vibes and Good Times at Prince Street Café

At first glance, York College of Pennsylvania may look like a typical campus in a typical college town—but look a little closer, and you’ll discover a community full of hidden (and not-so-hidden) gems. In our On the Ground series, we explore some of YCP’s most meaningful places and spaces, both on campus and in nearby York, with help from our own Spartan students. 

Community is important to Jonathan Reid ’23. But so is productivity. 

That’s why the senior Biology major, who hails from Laurel, MD, spends much of his time at the local Prince Street Café, located at 2 West Market Street in York.

“I may or may not be a regular there—I walk in and the barista says ‘Hi, Jonathan,’” he says, laughing. “It's definitely my number-one spot.”

One of the biggest reasons Jonathan continues to return to the café is because he’s had a very positive experience at Prince Street. He cites the welcoming atmosphere as a contributing factor to that experience. 

“It's a very clean, modern atmosphere,” he says. “It's the perfect place where I feel like I can sit down and do work there, but I also feel like I could just carry on a conversation with some friends.”

The café is also located near Marketview Arts, allowing Jonathan to park at a campus location so he doesn’t have to pay for parking elsewhere.

“I’m able to park at Marketview Arts, and then I can walk to Central Market and head up toward Prince Street,” he explains.

Because he has gluten and dairy allergies, Jonathan often finds it difficult to find food he both likes and can eat. Prince Street has been accommodating his needs with a menu full of gluten and dairy-free options, in addition to the coffee he loves.

“They have really high-quality coffee, which I enjoy,” he adds. “I also have dairy and gluten allergies, and they have food options for me. I'm used to getting a side salad, or a burger without a bun, and so to have those options was really nice and definitely a big plus.”

Overall, he appreciates being able to spend his money on a local small business that treats both its customers and employees well. 

“I really like that I'm able to go there and support a smaller business,” he says. “When you're there, you can see the owner interacting with the employees, and you can tell that it's a nice environment to work in, and they all seem to have a good relationship with her. It's nice to be able to support them that way.”